Archive for September, 2009

Dead Peasant Dead Janitor Insurance

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

The news has been carrying again the information on “Dead Peasant or Dead Janitor” insurance.  The corporate insuring of their employees and making of premiums way beyond the person has been employed has been around for decades.

It has been profitable for commercial banks and insurance companies have been able to conduct business by collecting the premiums under more lenient group insurance policies.

I first found out about it decades ago in the 1980s working at a bank when I read in the small print that I would get a free $10,000 life insurance policy but I was also allowing the company to get a $50,000 life insurance policy on me.  I asked about it at a Human Resources meeting for our annual sign up for 401K, medical, etc and she was not aware of anything and she freaked.  Word got out through the company and I think that bank may have initially not allowed the process to continue.

The benefit for big banks and companies is that the insurance proceeds paid by them help fund the retirement programs that they set up for employees or at least that is the theory behind it.  I hear about widows finding out that their late husband’s insurance was only $25000 and yet the company is making $100,000 on them and legally I don’t think they have a case to stand on.

Ethically, it is a bunch of crap, of course, and depending on what is doing and working, you may want to inquire if upon your quitting the company that they no longer have an insurable interest in you.

I am not certain how to do that but at the very least you may want to draft a polite letter and send it over certified mail and leave a copy for your husband or wife or beneficiary so that they can check to see that you aren’t going to die for the benefit of a company you haven’t worked for (or gotten benefits from) for years.

I also am always puzzled what keeps companies from bumping off their elder employees to collect their insurance proceeds.  Pundits have said that is a reason that stores hire elderly greeters.  They don’t have to wait too long to collect their proceeds mu-ha ha.

In other news, today is the day for hitting your quarterly tax payments and I hope you have your tax returns completed if you have filed for an extension.  I have seen people at this time of the year not able to afford doing their tax returns and I understand and sympathize.

I also think that if you are at a deadline it isn’t a great idea to split hairs especially if potential penalties and aggrevation look to be over several hundred dollars.  Sometimes it is a lot easier to pay the money and just get it done.

Also for those of you e-mailing me about investing in gold, this is the time if you want to try and play for the “pop” where the price has a shot at going and staying up.  There are holidays and celebrations in Asia (especially in India) and gold is the gift of choice.  I would say another safe place to invest in is not guns, but ammunition seeing how there is an alleged “shortage” at least here in California.  The truth is that people are hoarding it in fear of legislation to limit the purchase of ammo.  The reality is that I think there are more important worries for government right now and money is tight everywhere.  Just my thoughts on the subject.

A good play may be the raw materials that are used in ammunition since internationally they are being hoarded by nations as well in these uncertain times.  Do your own research on this though, okay?

Hope you all have a great day and don’t take out any insurance on yourselves that you don’t need or you may be driving to work one day and see a laser target on your forehead!

Sep 15 2009

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Dead Peasant Dead Janitor Insurance

How To Spot Fake Seance

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

Question from a reader:”I went to a fortune teller and was asking how the economy would do for me and she told me that it would be great.  I think people should put more trust in the departed.  She spoke to a spirit who said that things would be better for me.  My info is blah blah.”

My answer to you is that I think that if you got consolation and uplifting info for free, that is great.  I think though that you probably are paying for psychic services, right?  My answer then to you and to the rest of us – avoid spiritualists, mediums and psychics especially in tough economic times.  They prey on your sympathies and your need to hear of better times.  Make your own better times without going to these quacks.  Their business is to part you from your money and get you addicted to coming to them for advice.  Similar to repeat visits to a blog but it costs you a lot more in cash and energy.  It pays to be a skeptic sometimes.  Otherwise you will get involved in some business that will not be profitable and you will regret it later on.

Here is a quote from a long unpublished guide of how fake seances run and there are tons of exposes all over the Internet.  Be aware that the text is dated and slated for the time it was written (over 100 years ago) but you will get the gist of the idea.

Take care of the living folks-that will make the departed happy.  And hold onto your money.

How To Spot A Fake Seance

Reader, have you ever attended a “seance” for “full-form  materialization?”  Have you ever thought you had met your dead relative’s spirit at these “seances”?

If you have never had the pleasure of attending a seance of this “phase” you have missed a rare treat.  The writer has assisted at many a one and will relate to you some of the wonderful phenomena occurring at them and the means used to produce them. . . .  There are hundreds of “materializing mediums” doing business in this country, who are swelling a good-sized bank account.  Their business sometimes runs into the hundreds of dollars in a single week.  This “phase” of mediumship is considered by the spiritualists as the highest possible attainable, and if you are a clever “full-form medium” your financial welfare is assured. . . . 

Many and various are the methods employed by the different “mediums” in producing this phase.  It is in Boston, New York, and San Francisco that it is worked the finest.  The full-form seances most often met with are very simply worked, and easy of performance by the medium.

You are usually given a seat in a circle of chairs about the front of a “cabinet” made by hanging heavy curtains across the corner of the room.  If you are a stranger or one who looks or acts as though he would “grab” the “spirits,” you are seated at the farthest point from the cabinet; or, if there are two rows of seats, you will be  given a seat in the back row. 

I made my way to the “materializing seance,” at which my friends hoped to materialize.  I was admitted to the seance room and found about twenty persons already assembled.  I was seated in the front row of chairs.  The cabinet used was a closet about six feet long and four feet wide.  The ceiling of both the room and the cabinet was of wood.  After a thorough examination had been made of the cabinet by all those who cared to do so, the sitters were rearranged to suit the medium.  There were present now thirty-five persons.  The seance room was very large.  The door had been taken off the closet that served as a cabinet, and in its stead were hung heavy curtains. 

The floor of the room was carpeted with a dark carpet, as was the cabinet.  The light was furnished by a lamp placed in a box that was fastened to the wall some eight feet from the floor.  This box had a sliding lid in front, controlled by a cord passing into the cabinet.  By this means the “spirits” could regulate the light to suit themselves, without any movement on the  part of any of those in the seance room being necessary. 

When everything was in readiness the medium entered the cabinet, seated himself and was tied, and so secured to his chair that it was impossible that he could have any use of himself.  He was most thoroughly secured to his chair, and his chair nailed fast to the floor by passing leather straps over the rounds in the side and nailing the ends to the floor.  After it was shown to the sitters that he was utterly helpless, the curtain was drawn. 

The manager now placed an ordinary kitchen table in front of the door of the cabinet, so that it stood away from it about two feet.  The table contained no drawer.  On the table was laid writing materials, a guitar, and small bell.  The manager seated himself close to one side of the cabinet entrance, and started a large Swiss music box.
Before it had finished the first air the lamp was shut entirely off, making the room inky dark.

An illuminated hand and arm was now seen to come from behind the curtain, and played an accompaniment to the music box on the guitar.  We could see plainly the movements of the hand, arm, and fingers, as it manipulated the strings of the instrument.  It did not appear necessary to finger the strings on the keyboard, although the air was in a key that made it impossible to tune the guitar so that an accompaniment could be performed WITHOUT fingering.  However, but one  hand was visible, and it was picking the strings. 

After the tune was finished, the hand left the instrument, and moved out into the room to the front of the table and from the sound we knew it was writing on the tablet that had been placed there.  The arm was of bluish light and appeared to end just above the elbow, and to have no connection with the body.  It finished writing and seemed to float into the cabinet near the top.

The light was opened and the manager requested those who had tied the medium to examine his condition and see if the ropes had been tampered with.  The examination was made and it was evident that the fastenings were undisturbed.  The communication was read aloud to those present, and contained the following:

“We are pleased to meet so many seekers after light and truth here this evening, and, from the conditions, as we sense them, we will have a satisfactory and pleasant seance.  The way to obtain the best results is for each person to maintain a passive condition and  take what we have to give.  You may rest assured that our best efforts will be put forth to give you entire satisfaction.  The Control.”

The writing was exactly on the ruled lines although written in absolute darkness.  The hand and arm, although luminous, did not give out a particle of light.  The arm had been at least five feet from the cabinet opening and seven feet from the medium.  Surely, it was not he.  The message read, the light was again shut down and the music again started.

Once more a hand appeared, and floating out to the table, again began writing.  Of a sudden the hand disappeared, and, after a few seconds, I was astonished to feel a hand thrusting a paper into my top coat pocket.  Now appeared two hands and they played an air on the guitar.  Now came three, then four hands were visible, bright as the day.  Two of them began writing again, and, when they had finished, two more sitters were the recipients of sheets of paper.
Soon the light was opened for an inspection of the cabinet, which was made, with the conclusion that the medium had not moved.  Those  of us receiving communications were afforded an opportunity to read them.  We found them nicely written, as before, and all contained “tests.” .

After the light went out again, more hands were seen; the table was floated about over the heads of the circle, as was the music box, which weighed at least fifty pounds.  Another examination of the cabinet was made and everything found satisfactory.  This time the light was not put entirely out, but a very dim light was allowed.

The music box was again set playing, and, while yet it was playing the first tune, a tall figure, robed in creamy white, with gleaming sparks in her hair, and on her head a sort of crown, issued from the cabinet.  She was recognized by a gentleman present, a spiritualist, whose spirit guide she was, and who addressed her as “my queen.”  She stood a few seconds behind the table and then stepped out in the open space between the sitters and the table.
The gentleman now arose from his seat and, standing beside her, holding her hand, conversed in a whisper with her for some seconds.

This was most assuredly a lady, if appearances go for anything.  Her hands were quite small, and were warm and lifelike, as several, including myself, can testify, having been permitted to shake hands with her.  At last she started to the cabinet, and, as she went, appeared to grow shorter, until, as she disappeared between the curtains, she was not much taller than the table. 

The manager now explained that the spirit had remained out rather too long and came near dematerializing before she reached the cabinet.  Now came the spirit of a young man, dressed in a light suit of clothes, who gave his name and said his mother was present.  She was, and had a few words of conversation with him when he disappeared into the
cabinet.  The lady said that it was unmistakably her son; but there was SOMETHING that was not as he had been, but what it was she was unable to describe.

The next spirit to present itself was my son Eddie.  He came out from the cabinet calling “Papa, papa.”  The manager asked “Who is your papa?” and he replied, “Mr. (Smith).”  All this time he stood between the table and the cabinet, and only his head and shoulders could be seen.  The manager told him to step out where he could be seen, when he came around to the front of the table.

It was rather dark, but I could swear it was my son.  He was just the right size, with long flaxen hair and a very pale face.  He wore a light-colored waist and darker knee-breeches and stockings, with a large black bow at his throat, Just as I remember seeing him last in health.

While Eddie was still standing in front of the table a large man came out and took him by the hand.  Eddie spoke, saying:

“Must I go back, grandpa?”  The form turned toward me, saying:

“My son, this is a great pleasure to us, but we must not long remain, as it is our first attempt at materializing.”  He turned to go when the manager said to him:

“If the gentleman is your son you ought to give him your name.”

“The name of the child is Eddie, and my own is J. A. Smith,” replied the form, as they vanished into the cabinet.

The manager suggested that it would be well to examine and see whether the medium had been out or not.  The cabinet was examined and everything found satisfactory.

Spirit after spirit came from the cabinet, one or two at a time for an hour; some of them came to friends, and others were “controls” of the medium.  Many of them were recognized by different ones of the sitters in the room.  I, for one, could swear to the identity of my own son Eddie, while my father was plainly recognizable.

The room was again made dark.  Suddenly there appeared on the floor, in front of the table, a light about as large as a baseball. It moved about in a circle of perhaps a foot in diameter and grew larger.  It soon lost the shape of a ball and appeared to be a luminous cloud.  Seemingly we could see into and through it.  In the course of thirty seconds it had become as large as a six-year-old child; still there was no definite shape, only a fleecy cloudlike mass, turning, twisting, and rolling.  At the end of perhaps a minute it was the size and shape of an adult person.  The face could not be seen, but light, luminous spots were visible as though the hair and ears were decorated with gems.  The shape spoke
and requested light. 

As the light was turned on the luminousness disappeared, and we beheld a beautiful young lady clothed in a
dazzling white costume.  Her arms and shoulders were bare, and about her neck there was a necklace of what appeared to be very brilliant diamonds.  Her feet were encased in white slippers, with straps across the instep.  In her ears and hair glistened and shimmered beautiful diamonds.  Her face and arms were as alabaster, and altogether she was one of the most beautiful women I had ever beheld.  She was recognized by a lady and gentleman present as their daughter.  They had met her here before.  They were from the East, and were wealthy.  The spirit requested that they come to
her, which they did, and were each kissed and embraced by it.  They held a moment’s conversation with her and resumed their seats, when the lamp was slowly turned down.  As the light became dim the spirit became luminous.  The face and arms disappeared and the body became as a cloud again, turning and twisting and growing smaller
until it was nothing but a small light spot on the carpet, which of a sudden disappeared entirely.

Immediately after this manifestation an examination of the medium and cabinet was made, and it was certain the medium had not been away from his chair.  The light was again turned out and the music box started, when TWO bright spots appeared on the carpet, one at either end of the table.  These went through the same process of
development until, when the light was turned on, there was another beautiful female spirit at one end of the table, and a child of perhaps eight years of age at the other.  The child was recognized by a lady present as her daughter, while the adult spirit was recognized and rapturously greeted by a gentleman who sat near me on my left, as his “darling angel guardian.”  They had quite a long conversation, in which they made use of very endearing language, each to the other.  I supposed it was the gentleman’s wife .

The spirits did not disappear as the first one had, but, when the light had been turned off, the luminous shape revolved a few times, and on two occasions assumed the garb and shape of men, and when the light was turned on again, there stood the men with beards and men’s forms.  After some eight or ten of these materializations and dematerializations, before our eyes, the last couple completely disappeared.

The light was again turned down and a luminous shape came from the cabinet, followed by others, until seven of them stood on the floor.  The light was turned up until we could see the seven spirits.  Five were females and two males.  They were of different sizes.  The curtain at the door of the cabinet was pulled aside and we could see the medium sitting in the chair in which he was bound.  The forms now filed into the cabinet again, while the music box
played.  After they had disappeared the light was turned up, an investigation made of the cabinet, and the seance was over.

There, reader, is a truthful description of what can be witnessed at the seances of mediums who are artists.  None of your bungling, amateur work here.  The work of such a medium is always satisfactory for the reason that if a man feels SURE that the medium is a fraud, he has been so well entertained that he does not regret the money paid for the opportunity to witness it.  This is the class of medium also who frequently succeed in getting large sums of money from wealthy persons they have converted to spiritualism.

Did the writer not give you the true explanation of the manner in which these things were produced, you would probably say it was conceived by a very fertile imagination.  If you believed that he saw these things you would perhaps offer the preacher’s explanation, by saying, “it is the work of the devil”; or that of the scientist, by asserting that “it is the mesmerist’s power over your mind”; or “the operator has discovered an odd force in nature”; or go off on a long dissertation on hypnotism and fourth dimension of space problems.  However, it is not the work of the devil, neither are there any but NATURAL laws necessary to its production.

The seance described actually occurred and was described in writing  by Mr. Smith in the language used, although it was not printed, and the writer was one of those who assisted in its production.  He will now proceed to explain this particular seance:

It will be remembered that the room and cabinet were carpeted with a dark carpet, and that the ceilings were of wood.  The ceilings were decorated by being put on in panels.  The ceiling of the cabinet would not have been like that of the room had the closet been a part of the architect’s plans of the house.  It was not, but was made by the medium.  He simply built a lath and plaster partition from the corner of a wide chimney to the wall, thus enclosing a space of six by four feet.  The panel in the ceiling of the closet was twenty inches square.  This panel was “doctored” and could be displaced, leaving an aperture large enough for the “spooks” to get through with perfect ease.  A light ladder which
reached within three feet of the floor of the cabinet was hooked fast above and furnished the means of getting down and up again.

There were eight persons connected with the seance described by Mr.Smith, seven upstairs and the medium in the cabinet.  Of course it was not necessary that the medium get out of his fastenings, and the facts are that he did NOT.  The table was placed across the cabinet door, not to lay the instruments on, but to be very much in the way should anyone make a rush and “grab” for the materialized forms.  In case this occurred, the “spooks” above would close the
light, making the room perfectly dark, and the manager would do his utmost to turn the table on end, or side, with the legs out in the room.  Before the “grabber” could get the lay of things and get past it, the spooks would have gone through the trap, closed it, pulled up the ladder, and the “grabber” would have found the medium writhing and groaning and bleeding from the mouth.  The bleeding was for effect, and was caused by sucking very hard on his teeth or gums.

The table also served a convenient purpose in the materialization and dematerialization through the floor.  You now know where the spooks came from, in this particular house, and how they got in and out.  Now let us see how they managed the materializations, and the properties used to produce them.  The trap and ladder were practically noiseless in their operations, but the music box made  assurance doubly sure that the least sound from the cabinet should  not be heard in the seance room.

When the box began its first air the trapdoor was opened and down the ladder came a young man clad in a suit of black tights.  He was entirely covered with black with the exception of his right arm, which was bare to a point a little more than halfway from the elbow to his shoulder.  The bare arm glowed with a luminous bluish light.

This condition of things was brought about by powdering his arm with pulverized luminous paint.  If you are not told the method of transforming the sticky paint to powder, you will not be able to do it, and will conclude the writer was romancing in this case.  The most essential thing to you will be to know where you can procure this paint.  The writer has been unable to procure it anywhere, except of Devoe & Co., of New York City.  It is put up in a package
resembling six-ounce jelly glasses, and you will get six of them for five dollars.  In order to reduce it to powder, thin the contents of one of the glasses with one pint of turpentine.  When it is thoroughly cut and incorporated into the turpentine, soak strips of muslin in it and hang them out to dry.  When thoroughly dry you can shake the powder from the cloth.  In order to powder one of your arms, gather one of the cloths in your hands, and use it as a powder puff on your arm.  You will not be able to get all the paint out, but the pieces will make luminous crowns, slippers, stars, and luminous decorations for your robes. 

You will be under the necessity of perfuming your robes each time they are used, for the odor of the turpentine will always remain to a greater or less degree.  To illuminate a robe or costume (the mediums always say “robe”) you proceed the same as in the powdering process, except that to the pint of paint you will add a wineglass full of Demar
varnish, which will prevent its falling or being shaken off as  powder.  You are not to make the robe of muslin, but of white netting.  Every lady will know what netting is.  It is the lightest, thinnest material the writer ever saw sold in a dry goods store.  Ten yards of it can be put into the vest pocket.  Do not scrimp the material, but get as much of it into your robe as possible.

When he of the luminous arm steps from the cabinet into the dark room no part of him is visible save the arm.  He picks the strings of the instrument with the illuminated hand and fingers the keyboard with the other.  He makes a sound of writing on the tablet and tears off a leaf which he conceals, and, drawing a long black stocking over the luminous arm, places in the pocket of the sitter a communication that has been written upstairs in a good light.

This accounts for the even, beautiful writing, supposed to have been done in the dark.  He covers the luminous arm so that anyone so inclined could not locate it in order to “grab” when he is near enough.  By mounting the table, that luminous hand and arm can be made to show as though it was floating about near the ceiling.

When four hands were visible there were two spooks at work with both arms illuminated. . . .  You can readily understand the forces that floated the music box and table above the heads of the sitters, and an explanation is useless.

When the first female spirit appeared it was, in reality, a young woman, dressed in a gorgeous white costume without paint, hence the light was turned up instead of down, in order that she be visible.  Rhinestones and Sumatra gems being cheap, she was plentifully supplied with “diamonds,” although many of those who are the queens or spirit guides or “controls” of wealthy spiritualistic fanatics wear real diamonds, the gift of their wealthy charge, or “king” as they usually call him.

When she started for the cabinet she used her hands to keep her robe from under her feet, and as she went stooped lower and lower, until, as she disappeared in the cabinet, she went on her hands and knees.  This is what caused the appearance of “dematerialization.”

When Mr. Smith’s son, Eddie, came from the cabinet, he was represented by a boy of about eight years of age, the son of one of  the female “spooks” upstairs.  He receives two dollars a night for his services, the same as the larger spooks.  He was powdered until he was very white, a blond wig put over his own hair, and dressed as most boys are at the age Mr. Smith’s son died.  Mr. Smith recognized him by his size, his light complexion, and flaxen hair, and the fact that he called him “papa” and gave his correct name.

His father was “made up” from the description given by the medium, and acknowledged by Mr. Smith as correct.  Of course he knew his own name, for it was given him by the slate-writer.

We now come to a part of the phenomena that all spiritualists who have witnessed it will swear by.  What is referred to is the materializing and dematerializing of the spirit from the floor and before your eyes.  In this you see first a small light, which grows larger and larger, until there stands before you a fully formed female or male spirit, as was described in Mr. Smith’s experience.

In order to accomplish what he witnessed, the same spook who had before been recognized by a gentleman as “his queen,” prepared herself in the following way: Divesting herself of all clothing she donned simply a long chemise that reached her shoe tops.  She drew on a pair of white stockings, and over them a pair of white slippers.  Into her hair and ears she put rhinestone diamonds, and around her neck a necklace of the same beautiful but valueless stones.  On each ear lobe and around her neck were put small spots of the luminous powder to represent the diamonds while it was dark.
Her face was powdered and her eyebrows and eyelashes darkened, while a dark line was drawn under each eye.  She now took a black mask that covered her head, and her “robe” in her hands, and went down to the cabinet.  Arriving there, she put the black mask over her head, to prevent the luminous diamonds being seen until the proper time.  She carried her robe in a black bag.  Crawling from between the curtains and under the table, she exposed on the floor
a small part of her robe.  This she shook and moved about, allowing it to escape from the bag until it was all out.  She was now from under the table and on her knees, and it was time the head show on the form, so, getting close to the robe, she threw off and under the table the black mask.  The shape was now the size of an adult; she adjusted the robe to her person, and rapped for light. 

As a matter of course, when any light was made the luminousness of the robe was drowned, and she appeared in simply a white costume.  The necklace and eardrops could now be seen, but when the light was such as to reveal them, the luminous spots had disappeared, leaving the spectator to think the ones he now saw were the ones he had seen in the dark.  The process of dematerialization will now be apparent, and a description will only tire the reader.  One small
spook was all that was required, as he could be made to represent boy or girl as was desired, by clothing him in the garments of either sex.

At the close of the seance, the full force of “spooks” came into the room.  After disappearing, they shinned up the ladder, drew it after them, closed the panel and the trap in the floor above it, replaced the carpet and pushed over the place a heavy bedstead from which they took the castors.  They now carried the ladder downstairs and concealed it in the coal house as they went through it on their way home.  They will get their pay next day.

Should ever so close an examination of the cabinet be made, you would not find anything wrong.  This particular medium has taken investigators into the cellar beneath the cabinet, and the room above it, scores of times, yet nothing was discovered.

You are not always to search for the trap in the ceiling, nor yet in the floor.  A trap is not possible in the ceiling except a closet is used as “cabinet,” and the ceiling is of wood.  Where this condition of things does not exist, you must search elsewhere.

The floor is a very likely place when it cannot be made in the ceiling.  If you do not find it there, examine the base or
mopboard.  If it is in the mopboard you will find, upon examination, that there is a joint in it near the corner of the
cabinet, but you will find it solidly nailed with about four nails each side of the joint.  This appearance of extraordinary solidity will be absolute proof that it is NOT solid.

The nails are not what they appear, but are only pieces about one half inch in length, and do not even go through the board.  The piece is fastened on the other side with a couple of bolts that hold it very firmly in place.  There is a corresponding opening in the mopboard in the next room, although no attempt is made to so carefully conceal it, as no one is ever admitted to it.  Through this trap the “spooks” enter the cabinet by crawling and wiggling.

It is not a very desirable trap, for the mopboard is scarcely ever wide enough to permit of a trap that the spook could get through in a hurry; besides, they must assume their costumes after they get into the cabinet or tear them to pieces.  You can see how this would make it very inconvenient.

If the room is wainscoted the spook will have all the sea room necessary in his trap, for it will extend from just below the molding on the top of the wainscoting to the floor behind the strip of quarter-round. 

It is next to an impossibility to detect these traps by examining in the cabinet.  They were constructed to avoid discovery, and no pains spared to make them so absolutely perfect that not one chance in a million is taken.  The proper place to seek for traps is in the adjoining room, upstairs, or in the cellar.  One is foolish to undertake to find a trap by thumping the walls or floor; for, if you happen to thump one, the medium who is smart enough to make use
of a trap is also sharp enough to make provision for its being thumped, and your sounding method goes for naught.[1]  Bear in mind that when you are examining the cabinet, you are seeking at the very place that is prepared most effectually to withstand your investigations.  Do not forget the MANAGER in your search.

He or she is never searched, or never has been up to date, which has been the cause of many a failure to find the “properties” of the medium when the seance was given in a room and cabinet furnished by a stranger and skeptic.  Do not be deceived into a belief that all of the sitters are strangers to the medium.  There may be from one to five persons present who pay their money the same as yourself, and who may appear to be the most skeptical of anyone in the room.  They will generally be the recipients of some very elegant “tests,” and weep copiously great grief-laden tears
when they recognize the beloved features of some relative.

[1] It must be remembered that it is occasionally possible for the medium to do away with traps altogether, either by having a confederate in the audience who produces all the phenomena–the medium sitting bound meanwhile–or by some such simple device as the following: Suppose the seance room is closed at one end by a pair of folding-doors; these doors are locked, the key kept by a member of the audience, while the keyhole is sealed, and strips of gummed
paper are also stretched across the crack between the doors, sealing them firmly together.  Confederates enter the room, in this case, by merely pushing BOTH doors to one side, they being so constructed that this is possible.  A small space is now left around the end of ONE door, through which the medium’s confederate creeps!
They are the most careful of investigators, and, when the medium’s trap is located in the door-jamb, will pound the walls, and insist on the carpet being taken up, when they will get upon their hands and knees and make a most searching examination of the floor.  They are the closest and most critical of investigators, but they are very careful to examine everywhere EXCEPT WHERE THE DEFECT IS LOCATED.  Because one or two men seem to be making such a critical investigation, do not allow that fact to prevent you making one on your own responsibility.  Wait until they have finished and then examine not only where they did, but more particularly where they did NOT.  Their examination is only for the purpose of misleading others.  Their “tests” are received in a way to cause those about
them to think they admit them very unwillingly, or because they were so undeniable that they could do nothing else.

A great many will probably deny that confederates are ever employed.  They are not, by mediums who are not smooth enough to produce that which appears so wonderful as to make a good business for them.  The writer would advise those mediums who give such rank seances to employ a few floor workers (they are easily obtained), and see what a difference it would make in the amount of business they will do.  Get good ones, those who know human nature, and know when they have said all that is necessary.  Most of them are inclined to say too much, thus causing the ordinary man to suspect that they are confederates.

That is the end of the selection.

Like I said, even though it is dated, a lot of the techniques and ideas are used today, some using better technology.  Just try to remember if something seems fishy or doesn’t make sense-especially common sense, than it probably is a fraud.

Sep 12 2009

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

How To Spot A Fake Seance

Region 71 AYSO Parade Day and New Season

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

As a follow-up to my other postings, here is the low-down on Region 71′s AYSO parade and the new season.  Things were off to spectacular start.  The boys and girls who were there were having fun and we had Dennis Zine, city councilman speaking.  First, special kudos to Coach Jill for winning first prize (FINALLY!) for making our kickin’ banner.  Here is a shot of it.  The players decided on the team name, The Pesky Purple Pirates.  It is a great name because it is the color of their jerseys and outfits:

PeskyPurpPirate1

 

Here is a photo of Coach Jill, her poster and her ribbon.  As first prize winner, Jill won some duffel bags for all the team members.  Jill is the coach of the VIP team.  The VIP team is for children with special needs or learning disabilities who normally would be left out of team sports.  AYSO encourages that everybody plays, regardless of your condition.  Jill  and Mike work tirelessly year round to support soccer for their kids as well as the VIP team.  If you have any children who aren’t playing soccer and are unable to walk or move but are in wheelchairs or have helpers I invite you to please check out your local VIP leagues for AYSO soccer.  Congrats again, Jill, you definitely earned the first place award for your original and creative artwork. 

CoachJill1stplace

 

Here is Arianna with Councilman Dennis Zine.   Dennis is a huge supporter of soccer and all community events here in the Valley.  You can see from the background that we had a full house of players, their families and friends for the kick off event.

  AriandDennis

 

As Dennis and the other AYSO speakers said, the parents, brothers, sisters and family members are what make AYSO work so give yourselves a round of applause.  The kids and their families shlep out to the fields and play every week in the outdoors and practice during the week.  It is a great and inexpensive family activity.  You will meet a lot of new people as well.  It is still relatively early so look for a local AYSO group near you and start hitting some goals!

When I have some time I will try and upload the parade of the different teams and their banners.  That is always a lot of fun.  Have a great weekend people and my next post has an interesting question about getting financial advice from a fake seance of all things!   I will talk about avoiding those scams in my next entry.

Sep 12 2009 9:45 AM

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

 Region 71 AYSO Parade Day and New Season

Ellen On Idol

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

From a business point of view, I don’t get it other than the fact that Ellen is a great supporter of the singers.  The contestants have a tough enough gig to do and I tend to agree with other pundits that:

1.  Fox and Idol want to try new stuff to keep the show on the air and interest.

2.  Ellen can promote the show on her own show.

3.  She may provide a gentler approach to supporting the contestants but she is a comic.

That leads to my reasons why she might not be a good choice:

1.  She is too nice.

2.  The show is about the singers and all the drama with the judges is boring.

3.  If you want me to get interested in the judges, have some real nasty judges who have very bad habits, abuse themselves or barnyard animals on the show when they should be rating the singers.  Problem is, that would be too over the top.

Ellen Degeneres, I wish you the best of luck on the show and I hope you have fun with it.  I just question what the step after that would be.  If the ratings aren’t great will they replace you with a serial killer?  I suppose if it gets people to watch sponsors and get them to drink the soft drinks and buy the detergent, they will go for it.

What do you guys think?

My parting shot is that I watch the show when I can for the singing and honestly for brief, snappy one liners from the judges – not huge debates.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

AYSO to start up again

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

It is soccer time again.  AYSO is holding nationwide their opening ceremonies today and it should be a good time for all.  Please support your local high school, junior high and special needs teams.  They are great places to have your kids meet friends and learn how to work and play with others as well as learning sportsmanship, cooperation and having fun.  Not bad also for you if you own a business and want some great advertising – take an ad our in their yearbooks and pay for team materials, etc.

I was told the name of Arianna’s team and right now it eludes me.  I do know that their outfits are going to be purple.  That is a color favorite for a lot of the players on the team.  They all seemed pretty happy with it when they picked their team colors.  I wish all the socceer players a great and fun season.  If I get any videos I will go ahead and post them and any pix here.

In the business news, the stock market ended the week  so-so and gold was up a little bit.  I expect that price of gold should continue up then for the rest of this month in order to meet demand or at least the perceived demand for the mineral.

Silver one would think would go up as well.  Considering the dollar is at a low I wonder where people are soaking their money into.  Ah, the problems of the rich, huh?

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

AYSO to start up again

Practical Gaming Is Going Well

Friday, September 11th, 2009

Thanks to all my supporters and fans who are purchasing copies of my new book, Practical Gaming.  Part of all the proceeds go to research a cure for Rett Syndrome.  We are trying to make the quality of life for Rett girls better and if possible, find a way to reverse the symptoms of Rett.

We have a long way to go.

My new book appears to be popular with the low limit card crowd because of my section on forty dollar no limit Texas Hold’em as well as video gamers who are looking for a generic edge in playing.  It is all business when it comes to gaming and the most profitable thing is of course when you get bragging rights after taking somebody out in a nice, first person shooter.

Back to cards, a lot of people are back to playing low limit, No Limit and the $40/50 levels (and up to $100) seem to still be popular though I have to remind readers that if you are planning on going that with just a bankroll of $40-100 you are subjecting yourself to some horrible swings where if you don’t have at least half a rebuy you may go home completely broke after one hand. 

The cards don’t play favorites and sometimes, that is how they roll.  I have been playing a lot of brain development games lately and I am back to teaching tax preparation again as well as doing returns.

If you want somebody to review your income tax returns while you read my books, I am definitely up for that. 

Have a great weekend gang.  Be safe, happy and healthy.

Sep 11 2009

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Practical Gaming Is Going Well

More on Early Sept Gold

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Despite my mis-spelling of the word “too” in the previous post, I received a great number of queries about my thoughts on the direction of gold.  I think that there will be a seasonal rise in actual gold though the way that the markets have reacted to the Barrick unwind of their hedge book.  I guess we all will see over the next few weeks, right?

For full disclosure I own some shares of KGC and have some covered calls on it.  I am in the money for the calls and wish that I wasn’t and I didn’t have the calls so I could have made more money.

Besides India’s holiday season where it is traditional to give gold as a gift, with the dollar at a very deep low, people are turning towards precious metals.  I am talking about the actual metals and I am not sure that the mining stocks and the mining business, Barrick included, will do okay for the month of Sept.  I noticed that Kinross a year ago dropped a lot from the beginning of Sept through the month but there is the question then that past performance doesn’t predict future results.

Silver may do well but all the precious metals are looking like they are getting over bought.  People are taking profit and perhaps moving to different parts of the sector.  I don’t know and honestly, neither do they.  They are making plays on what they think the future might be.  I would agree that things might be very bleak if we don’t get more people working in this country.

The other important thing is that people can’t eat precious metals and like cash, they are only valuable if somebody wants to trade for them or give you something that you really need in exchange for them (the them being gold, silver, etc).

I am open to suggestions.  Anybody else want to add their thoughts on how gold (or any previous metal)  is going to do over the next few weeks?  Please support your data and observations if you decide to share with my readers.

Have a great day, gang!

Sep 10 2009

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

More on Early Sept Gold

I Think Gold Went Up To Quick

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

I think gold went up to quick.  Sure, it is considered the season for holiday spending in India and there is the anticipation of gold prices going up quickly but the last few days have caught a lot of people unawares.  Or maybe for some of the market makers they were awares.  I don’t know.

I do know that I was looking at trading more gold stocks or mining stocks and I ended up getting locked in some covered calls with KGC that pretty much tied me down as I watched the stock go from 18.50 to the very low twenties.  That is investing for you.  I wouldn’t bet money either way that the price of gold and mines will stay still though I personally would like to see some trace back before it fills in some more.  The market yesterday for gold rocketed and silver has had it’s shining moments as well.

Please do your own due diligence and watch yourself in a market that is going all over the place.

Also Happy Sept 09 2009.  In all the bruhaha for the 9-9-09 magical mystical numerology, I wonder how many people forgot we had all sorts of significance with 1-1-01, 2-02-02, 3-03-03, etc through 8-08-08.  In Asian mythology and lore, the number 8 – and 9 to a lesser degree is considered a lucky number.  There are movies, games and the like going on sale on that day.  I think it may be a great lucky day for merchandisers though for the rest of us, it depends if we can make our own luck or not.

For those of you asking about my new book, Practical Gaming, thank you.  Sales are starting to come in and even with the Depression, there are people out there who want to play games, and some may argue that in tough times, people want to play more games, especially chance games where their is the opportunity to win money.  As I caution in the book, please be careful and be wise when it comes to gaming and your cash.  We are not out of the woods and there are lots of us unemployed or underemployed.  We need more jobs to be created and I invite you to keep your Congressional, State and National leaders on their toes and keep after them. 

Be safe and healthy and happy 9-9-09.

August 9 2009

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

I Think Gold Went Up To Quick

Tax Info for Sep 08 2009

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

Just a reminder that quarterly estimated taxes are coming due so please don’t forget to mail your payments (if you look like you are going to owe) in. Also, in case you missed in July, some interesting information here:
Decreased Estimated Tax Payments for Qualified Individuals With Small Businesses

For 2009, qualified individuals with small businesses may be eligible to make smaller estimated tax payments. If you qualify, your required annual payment for 2009 is the smaller of 90% of the tax shown on your 2008 tax return or 90% of the tax shown on your 2009 tax return. You must check box F in Part II on Form 2210 or box C on Form 2210-F to certify that you qualify.

You are a qualified individual if:

More than 50% of your gross income was from a business that had an average of fewer than 500 employees in 2008, and Your adjusted gross income in 2008 was less than $500,000 ($250,000 if you are filing married filing separately for 2009).

The above obviously doesn’t apply to everybody but just a reminder for you to check it out if it does affect you.

What are estimated taxes for those of you just joining my blog (welcome, by the way)?

Estimated Taxes

Estimated tax is the method used to pay tax on income that is not subject to withholding. This includes income from self-employment, interest, dividends, alimony, rent, gains from the sale of assets, prizes and awards. You also may have to pay estimated tax if the amount of income tax being withheld from your salary, pension, or other income is not enough.

Estimated tax is used to pay both income tax and self-employment tax, as well as other taxes and amounts reported on your tax return. If you do not pay enough through withholding or estimated tax payments, you may be charged a penalty. If you do not pay enough by the due date of each payment period you may be charged a penalty even if you are due a refund when you file your tax return.

Who Must Pay Estimated Tax

If you had a tax liability for 2008, you may have to pay estimated tax for 2009.

General Rule
You must pay estimated tax for 2009 if both of the following apply.

You expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax for 2009 after subtracting your withholding and credits.
You expect your withholding and credits to be less than the smaller of;
90% of the tax to be shown on your 2009 tax return, or
100% of the tax shown on your 2008 tax return. Your 2008 tax return must cover all 12 months.
Sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation shareholders – You generally have to make estimated tax payments if you expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more when you file your return. Use Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals, to figure and pay your estimated tax. For additional information, refer to Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.

Corporations – You generally have to make estimated tax payments for your corporation if you expect it to owe tax of $500 or more when you file its return. Use Form 1120-W, Estimated Tax for Corporations (PDF), to figure the estimated tax. You must deposit the payments. For additional information, refer to Publication 542, Corporations.

Who Does Not Have To Pay Estimated Tax

If you receive salaries and wages, you can avoid having to pay estimated tax by asking your employer to take more tax out of your earnings. To do this, file a new Form W-4 (PDF) with your employer. There is a special line on Form W-4 for you to enter the additional amount you want your employer to withhold.

Estimated tax not required
You do not have to pay estimated tax for 2009 if you meet all three of the following conditions.

You have no tax liability for 2008
You were a US citizen or resident for the whole year
Your 2008 tax year covered a 12 month period
You had no tax liability for 2008 if your total tax was zero or you did not have to file an income tax return. For additional information on how to figure your estimated tax, refer to Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.

Estimated tax requirements are different for farmers and fishermen. Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, provides more information about these special estimated tax rules.

How To Figure Estimated Tax

To figure your estimated tax, you must figure your expected adjusted gross income, taxable income, taxes, deductions, and credits for the year.

When figuring your 2009 estimated tax, it may be helpful to use your income, deductions, and credits for 2008 as a starting point. Use your 2008 federal tax return as a guide. You can use the worksheet in Form 1040-ES (PDF) to figure your estimated tax. If you estimated your earnings too high, simply complete another Form 1040-ES worksheet to refigure your estimated tax for the next quarter. If you estimated your earnings too low, again complete another Form 1040-ES worksheet to recalculate your estimated taxes for the next quarter. You want to estimate your income as close as you can to avoid penalties.

You must make adjustments both for changes in your own situation and for recent changes in the tax law.

When To Pay Estimated Taxes

For estimated tax purposes, the year is divided into four payment periods. Each period has a specific payment due date. If you do not pay enough tax by the due date of each of the payment periods, you may be charged a penalty even if you are due a refund when you file your income tax return.

Using the EFTPS system is the easiest way to pay your federal taxes for individuals as well as businesses. Make ALL of your federal tax payments including federal tax deposits (FTDs), installment agreement and estimated tax payments using Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). If it is easier to pay your estimated taxes weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc. you can, as long as you have paid enough in by the end of the quarter. Using EFTPS, you can access a history of your payments, so you know how much and when you made your estimated tax payments.

If there are any more questions, drop me a line or check with the IRS.

Good luck, gang and talk with you again soon!

Sep 08 2009

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Tax Info for Sep 08 2009

Practical Gaming Book Is Out

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

My new book, Practical Gaming, is out.  Hooray.

practicalgaming

The book covers video game strategies, strategy and tactics games, shooters, Blackjack and Texas Hold’em specifically with a brand new $40 No Limit section since that is what I have been getting more e-mails and posts about.

Practical Gaming

The table of contents is as follows:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
THE COIN TOSS CASINO
ROCK, PAPER SCISSORS ROOM
FIRST PERSON SHOOTERS
STRATEGY AND TACTICS TYPE GAMES
BOARD GAMES
BLACKJACK
SLOT MACHINES
TEXAS HOLD’EM POKER GAMES
CONCLUSION

 

I had posted an excerpt from the book and you can find it reprinted here:

By the way — this book has pictures in glorious black and white for the playing card examples.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have stepped into the 21st Century and am working diligently in adding more multimedia (well at least pictures) to my books.  Ah, where was I?  Okay, back to the sample.

EXCERPT FROM “PRACTICAL GAMING” by Kim Isaac Greenblatt

The Coin Toss Casino

Welcome to Kim’s Coin Toss Casino.  We are starting off here so you can get an idea of when you are playing a game what elements you need to take into account.  We are starting off with the one game in my casino, namely flipping a coin. 

There are two sides to the coin-one side is heads and the other one is tails.  The way the game is played is pretty simple.  You call out loud what you think will come out when the coin is tossed in the air, caught and thrown by hand on the back of my other hand.  We will pretend to make this game interesting, since it is a casino, that you bet a dollar for each call and if you call “Heads”, and it comes up “Heads” I pay you a dollar.  If it comes up “Tails”, I pay you the dollar.

Pretty simple, yes?  Are you following me so far?  Great!

Now the odds of you getting the correct call are as follows:

Heads – 50%
Tails   – 50%

That also is reflected as 1 out of 2 for each chance.  That means that there is a one out of two chance that you will toss “Heads” and a one out of two chance that you will toss “Tails”.

That means that all things being fair and equal, with no cheating, no fixed coin, every coin toss gives you an even chance that your call will be the correct one and if you are betting a dollar that you would win $1.

Now for the purposes of this illustration I am not making any money on this in my casino.  I make my money by not having an air conditioner, having my casino in the desert and charging $100 for each glass of water.  As you might imagine, I don’t get too many customers in my casino.

Now we come to the questions and answers that drive gamers  nuts.

Here is the first set-up.  You come to one of my tables and a good looking girl elbows you and says, “Wow, I am on a streak.  I have tossed ‘Heads’ five times in a row.  I think there is no way that I can throw another ‘Heads’.  In fact, the odds are that I am going to throw a ‘Tails’.  It is due.”

Is it? 

The answer is no, the odds are still one out of two that the coin will come up heads.  It is a fifty-fifty shot and it can be that our good looking coin toss girl is just on a lucky streak.

The incorrect observation that the girl presented is called, “The Gambler’s Fallacy.”  The definition of the Gambler’s fallacy is the belief that if deviations from expected behavior are observed in repeated independent trials of some random process then these deviations are likely to be evened out by opposite deviations in the future.

That is quite a mouthful but what it is saying is that just because you have seen something happen with random events, it doesn’t mean that things will balance out while you are there watching them.

So what is the probability that you could flip two heads in a row? 

Well, you have a matrix of flips as follows:

Flip 1: H or T
Flip 2:  H or T

Combinations that result could be:

HT
TH
HH
TT

That should be a 1 out of 4 chance that you would throw two heads back to back.  The interesting thing is that the longer a streak continues, the more likely that you should go with the streak and not consider when it is ending from a math point of view.

How about in your daily life?

That is the end of the excerpt.  For more information, please check out the book and you can order it from  Amazon, Barnes and Noble and any fine bookstore within a few weeks.  Part of all sales go to research Rett Syndrome as usual.  If you want to order it directly from me, please drop me a line and we can see what we can do.

Initial buzz from my fans has been good and they like the new Forty Dollar No Limit Texas Hold’em advice that I have given them.  It is making their game more profitable and overall good business so it is a win-win situation.

I am not sure whether my next book will be on special needs or 200 No Limit Texas Hold’em because I am getting some requests for more books on cards.  What do you want to see more of?  Please drop me a line and thanks for your support!

By the way, today is my Mom’s birthday!  Happy Birthday Mom!

 

PRACTICAL GAMING

Publisher: Kim Greenblatt
Published in West Hills , California , USA .
ISBN-10:
1606220039
ISBN-13 978-1-60622-003-0
152 Pages US $15.00

Sep 03 2009

Also, please  don’t quite go anywhere yet.  Having some tax issues or tax questions?  Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed?  Please read on.

I am expanding  my practice and taking on new tax clients.  If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.

I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.

I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands.  Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print?  I invite you to please check them out.

If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.

Practical Money Making-Surviving Recession, Layoffs, Credit Problems, Generating Passive Income Streams, Working Full Time or Part Time and Retirement

Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.

Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.

Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett.  Thanks for your support.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Practical Gaming Book Is Out